Outstanding mare Pride of Jenni (6m Pride of Dubai x Sancerre, by O’Reilly) scaled the mountain at Flemington last Saturday when snaring her first Group I win in the $1million VRC Empire Rose Stakes and she wasted no time getting another when backing up to beat the best WFA milers to win the $3million VRC Champions Mile (1600m).
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Pride of Jenni had never won a stakes race until last week and she has obviously developed a taste for it.
The free wheeling six year-old was allowed to take an uncontested lead with Declan Bates rating her perfectly in front and she was not for catching. Pride of Jenni scored by a more than a length over glamour milers Mr Brightside, Alligator Blood and Fangirl in a thrilling finish.
“Unbelievable! I think it’s the culmination of a lot of things,” said Ciaron Maher.
“She’s an older mare now and they need to be very seasoned to race in the style that she does and she’s come up very well. The team have done a great job.
“Tony and Lyn (Ottobre) put so much in and to win one last Saturday was good, so I thought we’d have another throw at the stumps and she’s ran as good or better.”
Declan Bates was glowing in his praise of Pride of Jenni.
“She’s proven now that it wasn’t a fluke last week and she’s a champion I believe,” Bates said.
“A few people have said to me that I stole it last week, but that’s a discredit to her. I was happy with the way I executed it, but you can’t employ those tactics on many horses, you need a horse with a serious engine and a great will to win…. I think we’re just made for each other!”
Pride of Jenni has the overall record of five wins and eight placings from 25 starts with prizemoney of $2.9million.
A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud, Pride of Jenni was bred by Trelawney Stud and is the first foal of winning O’Reilly mare Sancerre, a daughter of Group I Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray.
Pride of Jenni brought up a Group double at Flemington on Saturday for Pride of Dubai, who also sired Deny Knowledge to win the Group II VRC Matriarch Stakes. He stands at a fee of $27,500 this spring.
– Coolmore Australia
